BBQ Tofu, Bean, Tomato & Corn Salad w/ BBQ Yogurt Dressing

I'm back!

I didn't intend to take such a long absence from this blog, but my summer ended up being entirely taken over by working on my PhD dissertation, and I didn't have time to even go outside many days let alone create and photograph recipes or write blog posts.  Now that I've handed it in (one step down!) I'm hoping to have a little more time for blogging!

Needless to say, most of my meals this summer consisted of quick and easy dishes, which included a lot of salads!

This bbq tofu salad was a little more time consuming because of the steps involved in preparing the tofu (pressing the water out, marinating it, and baking it), but it's worth it!  I follow Oh My Veggies' recipe for baked barbecue tofu which is my favourite way to eat tofu.  She calls it 'tofu for tofu haters' and I agree; I used to think I hated tofu until I tried it this way, so if you think you hate it too, give this a chance!

With the addition of fresh corn, tomatoes, cucumber, black beans, two types of lettuce, and sprouts, this salad has lots of crunch, flavour, and protein.  For the dressing, I whisked together some low-fat plain yogurt with a bit of bbq sauce, apple cider vinegar, and a couple spices for an easy, creamy, and light dressing that complemented the tofu.

And as with most salads, feel free to add in whatever else you like!  Avocado would have been great, I just couldn't find any ripe ones in time; mushrooms would work well too.

I'm hoping to share some of the other easy meals I was enjoying over the summer in a recap post later this week, then I can't believe it's already time to start thinking about fall recipes (which I admit I'm pretty excited about)!

BBQ Tofu, Bean, Tomato & Corn Salad with BBQ Yogurt Dressing

Inspired by Vegetarian Times and Delish Knowledge

Makes about 4 main course servings

Ingredients:

For the Tofu:

1 (12-14oz) package of extra-firm tofu

1/2 cup barbecue sauce

For the Salad:

2 cobs of fresh corn or around 1 cup of thawed frozen corn kernels

1 (540mL) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

Half to one cucumber, chopped (I used about 3/4 of one but it depends on its size)

1 ripe avocado, chopped (I couldn’t find a ripe one in time so it’s not included in pictures)

1 red pepper, chopped (I've added this in later versions but it's not pictured here)

1 head of romaine or iceberg lettuce, or your desired greens 

Handful of alfalfa sprouts, if desired

For the Dressing:

1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt

2 tablespoons barbecue sauce

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper

1.5 to 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar (start with 1.5 and add more to taste if needed)

Directions:

Prepare baked barbecue tofu following directions from Oh My Veggies (be sure to allow enough time to press the tofu, marinate it, and bake it).

If using fresh corn, cook according to your liking if desired (I boil the cobs of corn in a large pot of boiling water for about 5 minutes, rinse with cold water, then slice off the kernels).  Prepare other salad ingredients.  

Whisk all ingredients for the dressing together in a small bowl, taste, and adjust any amounts to your liking. I sometimes add more yogurt or throw some mustard in.  You can add a bit of water to thin it out if necessary.

Toss together all ingredients with the dressing and serve.

Buffalo Lentil Loaf

I always hated meatloaf as a kid, and I still do.  I can’t even say the word meatloaf without adding ‘shmeatloaf’ after it.  It’s funny that when I was young, it was more the vegetables, onions and little crunchy bits in the meatloaf that I hated, and now it’s the idea of a tray full of packed meat that turns me off.  A lentil loaf full of vegetables though?  Much more up my alley!

I know some people will have the same reaction I have to meatloaf when they hear the word ‘lentil loaf’.  Indeed, my fiancé in particular was extremely skeptical at the idea.  But even he ended up admitting that this was really good, so if you’re hesitant, I encourage you to give it a chance!

Why should you give this a chance over regular meatloaf?  Because lentils are full of fiber and protein to fill you up and give you energy, along with other important minerals like potassium, folate, and iron.  There’s also oats and a little egg for even more fiber and protein in this, along with vegetables like onions, carrots, and peppers for added nutrition.  Of course, I had to add a little extra appeal to convince the fiancé to try this, so I included buffalo sauce to give it extra flavour and kick, which I loved!  You could substitute bbq sauce though if you’re not into spicy food.

Though it takes a little time to cook, the result is worth it!  I love this lentil loaf on its own with a side of vegetables (mashed potatoes would be great too!), but I ate most of it in sandwiches for lunch.  Toast some whole grain bread, add some lettuce, barbeque or buffalo sauce, tomato, and a couple slices of lentil loaf and you’ve got a hearty, filling, and tasty meal!

Buffalo Lentil Loaf

Lentil loaf recipe adapted from In Sonnet's Kitchen and The Simple Veganista

Makes one 9x5 loaf, serves about 4-6 (or more depending on how you serve the loaf)

Ingredients:

1 cup dry brown lentils

2-1/2 cups water

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small or medium yellow onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 a large red bell pepper, diced

1 large carrot, peeled and grated

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

Pinch each of salt and pepper

1 cup rolled oats, pulsed in a blender or food processor a few times to more of a coarse crumb

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup buffalo sauce (your favourite brand, such as Frank's Red Hot Buffalo Wing Sauce or PC Buffalo Wing Sauce)

Glaze:
2 tablespoons bbq sauce (plus more for after baking, if desired)

2 tablespoons buffalo sauce

Directions:

Add lentils and water to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat, and let simmer 25-30 minutes, until lentils are soft and water is mostly evaporated.  Remove from heat, drain any excess water, and puree about three-quarters of the lentils in a blender or food processor (or with an immersion blender).  Set aside to let cool slightly.  Preheat oven to 350°F.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add onion, garlic, red pepper, and carrot and sauté, stirring often, for about 5-7 minutes or until softened.  Stir in the spices (cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper), then remove from heat. 

Fold together the lentils, sautéed vegetables and spices, oats, eggs, and buffalo sauce in a large bowl or in the saucepan until combined.  Line a 9x5 loaf pan with parchment paper, spray lightly with cooking spray, and spread lentil mixture evenly in prepared pan.  Mix the 2 tablespoons each of bbq sauce and buffalo sauce for the glaze, and brush in an even layer on top of the loaf. 

Bake loaf in preheated oven for 45-50 minutes until the top of the loaf is dry, firm, and golden brown.  Let cool in pan for at least 10 minutes, run a knife around the edges, then use parchment paper to lift out of pan.  Top with a bit of additional bbq sauce if you like. Slice into 10-12 slices and serve however you desire – either on its own, in a sandwich, on top of a salad, etc.

Sweet Potato & Caramelized Onion BBQ Cheddar Pizza

If you’ve been on Facebook or Instagram this morning, you’ve likely seen lots of pictures of snow – it seems like quite a few cities in both the US and Canada have experienced their first snowfall this week!  I usually split my time between two cities in Southern Ontario, and fortunately the one I’m in right now got less snow than the other one – just enough to coat all the leaves on the ground but not enough to stay on the sidewalks.  Even with only a light layer of snow though, it’s still been freezing cold outside this week so it seems that winter has officially arrived!

With the colder weather, I’ve been craving warm and comforting food a lot more lately, and this pizza fit the bill perfectly!  It’s full of hearty, savoury flavours including roasted sweet potatoes, caramelized onions, and a bold barbeque sauce in place of tomato sauce.  It might sound like a kind of strange combination, especially with the cheddar cheese, but trust me that it all works so well together! 

When I brought up the idea for dinner a while ago to Ryan, he rejected it then because the idea of sweet potatoes on pizza was a little too out there for him, but I couldn’t get the idea out of my head so I went ahead and made it the other day and even he admitted “it was really good”.  I would add one extra "really" on to that myself!

I know I’ve been making a lot of naan pizzas lately, and I swear I had intended to make this one a real pizza instead, but the store I went grocery shopping at didn’t have any pizza dough (except for those pre-made circles of cardboard) and I didn’t have time to make my own dough, so I grabbed some whole wheat naan.  But naan is cheaper than pizza dough (at least at my grocery stores) and allows you to make the perfect individual sized pizzas whenever you want, so I really love them!  

If you're cooking for more than a couple people though (or don't like naan bread for some crazy reason), feel free to use regular pizza dough with the same toppings - the recipe I provide is more of a guide anyway so you can adapt it to whatever type of base you like!

Sweet Potato & Caramelized Onion BBQ Cheddar Pizza

This is just a rough guide for a large pizza or 4 naan pizzas – all ingredients are estimates and can be adjusted as you see fit.

Ingredients:

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into about ½-inch pieces

Salt and pepper

2 large sweet onions, peeled and sliced into half moons

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 ball of pizza dough or 4 pieces of whole wheat naan bread

Your favourite BBQ sauce (I used a bold bbq sauce – try to use a thicker one with flavour)

Shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°F.  Toss sweet potatoes with a couple teaspoons of olive oil or enough to coat them, and season with salt and pepper. Spread in an even layer on a foil-lined baking sheet and roast in preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes, or until tender.

Meanwhile, heat another tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add onions, stir to coat with oil, and season with salt and pepper.  Spread onions out evenly across the pan and let cook, stirring only occasionally, until softened, about 15-20 minutes.  Add sugar (this is to help them caramelize; I don’t always do this step), stir to coat, and let cook for an additional 10-15 minutes, stirring only occasionally.  Once they are caramelized to your liking, remove from pan and set aside.

Preheat oven to desired temperature for cooking your pizza – this depends on what type of dough you’re using: a recipe for pizza dough will give cooking instructions, a storebought ball of pizza dough also will, and if you’re making naan pizzas, I cook mine at 425°F for about 10-12 minutes.  Prepare pizzas by spreading a thin layer of bbq sauce as the base of the pizza, top with a thin layer of cheddar cheese (or desired amount of cheese), followed by the cooked sweet potatoes and onions.  Season lightly with salt and pepper if desired, and bake.  Serve warm.

Greek Yogurt BBQ Chicken Pasta Salad

This past weekend was a long weekend for us Canadians, meaning the summer has (unofficially) begun!  And it has definitely felt like summer the past few days; yesterday the temperature went up to about 28°C (around 83F) here in Southern Ontario and I was reminded what it’s like to sweat just standing outside (and in my case, just sitting in your apartment too)!  It was perfect weather for sitting outside for a barbeque on Sunday and laying on the beach Monday (though with the lake still freezing cold, we didn’t last long on the sand without having a way to cool off)!

With the long weekend for my American friends coming up next, I thought this would be a good time to share a pasta salad recipe – the perfect thing to take with you to a summer bbq or picnic.  And feel free to bring me along too, I need another long weekend already!

This pasta salad is made with all whole wheat pasta, non-fat Greek yogurt in place of mayonnaise, with veggies for nutrition and chicken for protein - but with the delicious creamy BBQ flavour, no one would ever guess it’s healthy!  I loved the crunch of veggies and the kick of spice in this pasta salad that’s unlike any I’ve tried before; my boyfriend loved this too and couldn’t even tell the pasta was whole wheat or had Greek yogurt.

You could leave out the chicken if you wanted this to be a lighter side dish, but we loved the flavour and texture the chicken added.  And if you’re vegetarian, I think black beans would give this a fun southwestern twist!  

The Tuesdays after a long weekend are the worst, but thankfully this day's already almost over and I can start counting down the days until the next long weekend!

BBQ Chicken Whole Wheat Pasta Salad with Greek Yogurt

Recipe inspired by Gonna Want Seconds (who adapted a dish from Cook’s Illustrated)

Makes around 4-5 large servings or 8-10 side dish servings

Ingredients:

1 375g (13oz) box of whole wheat macaroni

1 teaspoon hot sauce

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1-1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 small shallot, minced

1 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt (you can replace part of the yogurt with low-fat mayo if desired, but I used all yogurt)

1/2 cup BBQ sauce

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 yellow bell pepper, diced

4 green onions, chopped

2 cooked boneless skinless chicken breasts, shredded and seasoned with salt & pepper, and tossed with a bit of bbq sauce if desired (or use around 12-14 oz of rotisserie chicken and shred it)

Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Cook macaroni according to package directions.  Drain and rinse thoroughly with cold water until cool.  Let drain in colander then transfer back to a large bowl.

Add hot sauce, garlic powder, salt and pepper, chili powder, brown sugar, vinegar, and shallots to the pasta and toss to coat.  Let stand for about 2 minutes to absorb.  Next, mix the Greek yogurt and BBQ sauce together in a small bowl, then add to the pasta and toss to coat.  Stir in diced peppers, green onions, and shredded chicken.  Mix and adjust any seasonings if necessary.  Serve cold or at room temperature.

*Note: Feel free to add a bit of BBQ sauce to leftovers before eating if the sauce dries up at all in the fridge (I didn't really have this problem, but I still liked to stir in a little extra sauce to my leftovers)

Buffalo Hummus Mashed Potatoes

When I first saw hummus mashed potatoes on one of my favourite blogs, Gimme Some Oven, I thought it was such a fantastic idea – I love hummus and love mashed potatoes, so combining the two would not only taste great but would be a great way to healthify potatoes!

Of course, my mind starting immediately whirring with all the flavours of hummus you could use to change things up, and my first choice was buffalo.  If you love buffalo flavour and haven’t tried this hummus yet, you need to do so asap; I eat a lot of hummus and this is definitely one of my favourites!

These mashed potatoes are super easy to make – first you have whip up a batch of buffalo hummus, but that takes only five to ten minutes max, and you can do it while you wait for your potatoes to  boil.  Then you simply mash the potatoes, stir in some hummus, season with salt and extra buffalo sauce for spice, and that’s it!  There’s no adding tons of butter and cream, and you still end up with smooth and fluffy mashed potatoes, but with the added benefit of protein and healthy fats from the chickpeas and tahini in the hummus.

If you’re a fan of the buffalo/blue cheese combination, feel free to add some blue cheese in there - I didn’t have any on hand but I think it would have made a great addition!  This would make a great side dish to some chicken and steamed broccoli for a complete meal, but I liked it so much I ate it all on its own before I had a chance to try it that way!

Update: I realized after writing this post that these mashed potatoes are also vegan (correct me if I'm wrong, but from what I've read online, Frank's buffalo sauce does not contain milk products), giving you all the more reason to like them!  :)

Buffalo Hummus Mashed Potatoes

Inspired by Sabra Hummus and Gimme Some Oven

Serves 3-4 as a side dish (can easily be doubled to serve more)

Ingredients:

1 pound Yukon Gold (yellow-fleshed) potatoes (about 2.5 cups peeled and cubed)

3/4 cup buffalo hummus

1-2 tablespoons buffalo sauce

Salt to taste

Directions:

Prepare a batch of buffalo hummus up to a few days in advance. 

Peel potatoes and chop into about 1” pieces.  Immediately transfer to a large pot and cover with cold water until potatoes are covered.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and let cook 20-30 minutes, until potatoes are easily pierced with a fork.

Drain, then place potatoes back in the dry pot and let heat over medium heat until they appear dry, about 2-3 minutes.  Remove from heat and mash potatoes in the pot or in a bowl.  Add 3/4 cup hummus and mix.  Add 1 tablespoon of buffalo sauce, mix in, and add up to 1 additional tablespoon if desired.  Season with salt to taste.

BBQ Chicken Quesadillas with Peaches and Brie

Happy Labour Day!  As you all probably have much more exciting plans than me today (unless you consider a day of report-writing fun), I'll keep today's post short!

These quesadillas are a twist on one of my favourite easy dishes from last summer, peach and brie quesadillas, making them a little heartier with the addition of chicken and barbeque sauce, inspired by these chipotle peach bbq chicken quesadillas.  I kept them simple using storebought bbq sauce, so they can be thrown together in no time!

I wasn't sure how the barbeque sauce and peaches would work together, but they turned out so good - I think it's hard to go wrong with quesadillas!  The sweetness of the peaches balances out the barbeque sauce, the cilantro adds a fresh bite, and the brie cheese mellows everything out and of course keeps the quesadillas together.  I still love the sweeter peach and brie version, but these are a nice change for a more substantial dinner that's still easy and fun!

BBQ Chicken Quesadillas with Peaches and Brie

Inspired by Sunflower Supper Club and adapted from these peach and brie quesadillas

Serves 2-4 (makes 4 quesadillas, which can each be cut into 3 wedges, for 12 wedges)

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

1/4 cup bbq sauce (I used storebought tequila lime bbq sauce)

4 large tortillas (I used whole wheat)

6 oz brie cheese, sliced

2 ripe peaches, peeled and thinly sliced

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Directions:

Combine chicken and barbeque sauce.  Season with salt and pepper, if desired (I season my chicken breasts before cooking).  Divide brie cheese, chicken, peaches, and cilantro among the 4 tortillas, only layering them on half of each tortilla.  Fold the other half of the tortillas over to form half circles.

Heat two large non-stick skillets over medium heat and spray with non-stick cooking spray.  Place two folded quesadillas in each skillet and cook for about 2-4 minutes, until crispy and golden brown on one side, then flip and repeat on other side.  Serve warm.

Note: I've also tried these with monterey jack cheese instead of brie and they were just as good, so feel free to try a different cheese if you don't have any brie!

Barbeque Chicken Baked Potato

Sorry for the lack of posts this week, but I'm currently on vacation in Cuba! I won’t have internet access while I’m here, which means I won’t be able to keep up with reading all my usual blogs or replying to comments.  I still wanted to share at least one recipe this week though, so I chose a super easy weeknight dinner recipe that I actually made quite a while ago but was saving to post for just an occasion like this!  

I actually planned on writing this post at the airport before I left and scheduling it to appear while I was away, but after a last-minute minor disaster involving the new Blogger not working on an iPad, my helpful sister Genevieve fortunately stepped in to save the day and help post this for me!

There's not much to say about this barbeque chicken baked potato except that it's easy, delicious comfort food.  Though the baked potato does take a while to cook, the rest is easy peasy, and if you're really short on time you could even microwave the potato, though it won't taste quite as good!  

I can't immediately think of a good vegetarian protein you could use in place of the chicken, but if you have any ideas, let me know, or if you have any other good ideas for baked potato toppings, feel free to suggest some in the comments as well!  I'm thinking a buffalo chicken version of this would be great to try next!

Looking forward to catching up with you again next week!

BBQ Chicken Baked Potato

Serves 2 as a light meal served with a salad or side - you may wish to increase the amount of chicken for something more filling

Ingredients:

2 russet potatoes

1 chicken breast

Barbeque sauce

Shredded cheese (e.g. Mexican blend, cheddar, pepper jack)

Salt & pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°F.  Scrub potatoes and pierce skin several times with a fork.  Rub skin with a bit of olive oil and salt.  Place potatoes in the preheated oven, directly on the oven rack (with a pan underneath to catch any drippings).  Bake for 1 to 1 ½ hours, or until slightly soft and golden brown.

Meanwhile, cook chicken breast (about 4-5 minutes per side over medium-high heat).  Shred with two forks, season with salt and pepper, and coat with barbeque sauce.  Keep warm and reheat if necessary when potatoes are done.

When potatoes are done, prick each potato with a fork in a line lengthwise across the top, then smack the two ends of each potato together so that it bursts open.  It should be nice and fluffy inside.  Top each potato with half the shredded chicken and desired amount of shredded cheese.  Add more barbeque sauce, salt, and pepper if desired.  Serve warm.

UPDATE: I received an anonymous comment from a reader which unfortunately can't show up on my commenting system because it was entered on a mobile device. The reader noted that my potato looked dry and needs more sauce and cheese, which reminded me that I should have mentioned that I did indeed add more bbq sauce and a bit more cheese after I sliced the potato open into pieces, which you can certainly do as well, I just didn't take a photo of that stage.  The reader also noted that what was missing was "butter, sour cream, and scallions".  You can certainly add your own ingredients to the potato - I don't like scallions and I don't normally eat my potatoes with butter and sour cream as I try to keep them healthier, but of course it should go without saying that you can easily adapt this recipe to your own tastes, this is just what worked for me!

Buffalo Wing Hummus

You may have noticed that I have a slight obsession with making hummus (see here, here, and here), but considering that the top two most popular recipes on my blog are hummus recipes, I’m thinking you guys won’t mind if I post another one!

I’d been dreaming about this buffalo wing hummus ever since I first saw it in September’s Food Network magazine, and once I tried it I couldn’t believe I didn’t make it sooner! This is easily my new favourite hummus recipe; it tastes exactly like buffalo wings but in a healthy dip form. It’s also the creamiest hummus I’ve made, even though it doesn’t contain any oil like most recipes. This dip makes a healthy snack served with celery or carrot sticks, but is also delicious served with pita chips or even off your finger ;)

If you love buffalo wings but are looking for a healthier way to enjoy their flavour, try this hummus out, you won’t regret it!

P.S. I want to wish all my American readers a very happy Thanksgiving!! And if you missed it earlier, be sure to check out my Thanksgiving recipe roundup if you need some last minute ideas!

Buffalo Wing Hummus

Adapted from Food Network

Makes about 2 cups of hummus

Ingredients:

1 (19oz) can no-salt added chickpeas (about 2 cups)

1/3 cup liquid from the chickpea can

1 clove garlic, minced

3 tablespoons tahini

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon paprika

2 tablespoons barbeque sauce

2 to 3 tablespoons hot buffalo sauce

1/2 tablespoon distilled white vinegar (optional, you may want to taste before adding this as some brands of buffalo sauce can already taste quite vinegary)

1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper for seasoning, optional

Directions:

Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth.  For amounts that have a range (i.e. the buffalo sauce and salt), start with the smaller amount and add more after tasting if desired.  Taste and adjust any other amounts to your liking.

Serve with celery sticks, carrots, pretzels, or pita chips. Store in the refrigerator.

*Note: Because this recipe uses the liquid from the chickpea can, it's a good idea to buy no-salt added chickpeas.  If you can't find that and are watching your sodium, you can also make this by replacing the chickpea liquid with about 1 tablespoon olive oil and 3 tablespoons water.

Update: Here are a couple more (brighter) photos from a more recent batch in February 2014: